Many people are aware of the epic ‘Northern Gateway’ pipeline project Enbridge is seeking to push through. A smaller but growing number are realizing that the Pacific Trails Pipeline (PTP) is already approved and going ahead. The PTP would increase the flow of liquid natural gas extracted through the highly destructive practice of ‘fracking’ in North Eastern BC for exportation to overseas markets. If the PTP is not allowed to pass it would also be an assult on all the other pipeline plans that seek to follow along the PTP’s path, of which Enbridge is just one. Stopping this project is a major strike on the rapid development of further industrial projects that destroy the land. The PTP would also help to fuel the much larger ‘Pacific Gateway’ project, which is aimed at rapid acceleration of every kind of industrial expansion.

Grassroots traditional Wet’suwet’en people are at the forefront of resistance to the PTP (and therefore Enbridge, Kinder Morgan, Pacific Gateway, Etc…). Under the leadership of members of the Unis’tot’en Clan they have built a cabin in the path of the pipeline and have vowed to stand and stop the PTP along with all other pipeline projects. Since 2010, they’ve hosted 3 annual summer action camps to connect with other grassroots land defenders and step up resistance.

BC Blackout is an informal group of anarchists that came about after we attended the second annual ‘Unis’tot’en Action Camp’ in August 2011. Most of us involved were also heavily influenced by our experience in a three week blockade/camp against the South Frasier Perimeter Road (a major artery being expanded for ‘Pacific Gateway’) in a suburb of Vancouver called North Delta April/May 2011.

The struggle to protect the land is one with the struggle to free ourselves from wage slavery and the state. We recognize no distinction between the two. We are land defenders and social rebels at the same time. Likewise, we see no contradiction between the tactics of autonomous subsistence and insurrectionary revolt (which are equally necessary in both urban and rural areas).

While always keeping the larger picture in mind, the specific motivation for the BC Blackout group at the moment is to contribute to stopping the PTP and contributing to solidarity with other battles related to destroying the ‘Pacific Gateway’ plan. For the last year we’ve been developing our analysis and strategy and doing our best to respond to the call made by our Wet’suwet’en comrades which we take very seriously.

In November shortly after the second Unis’tot’en action camp, others organized an ‘Indigenous Assembly Against Mining and Pipelines’. This coincided with a major confrence of Mining companies and sell outs focusing on gaining indigenous collaboration. Mel Bazil, a Gitxsan/Wet’suwet’en warrior and anarchist was present at this assembly and spoke about the PTP and the other pipelines, the impending stand off, and their determination to not give in. We participated in an anarchist contingent at demo that was part of this assembly.

Shortly after this, a small group of traditional Wet’suwet’en people prevented PTP drillers from entering their territory. With this, our recently made friends directly confronted the company and demonstrated their commitment to being on the land and stopping the pipelines.

On December 9th of last year we participated in organizing an autonomous demo against the PTP and on April 22 of this year we organized an anti-pipelines feast/fundraiser with info and presentations. Also in April we went to Victoria to participate in a massive grassroots Anti-Enbridge demo and made a presentation against the PTP. In July we conducted a workshop at the Calgary Anarchist Bookfair. All of these efforts have been made as a part of realizing our general stategy: raising awareness and organizing action towards cultivating decentralized solidarity with the impending battle against the Pacific Trails Pipeline everywhere we can. We are intent to continue and expand this strategy.

The corporations that are fueling the Pacific Trails venture; Encana, Apache and EOG (formerly known as Enron) stand to profit immensely, and the Canadian State is implicit in it’s completion. Stopping this projects means there can only be conflict on the horizon. With this in mind we’ve started an ‘Anti PTP Fighting Fund.’

In our own backyard, ourselves and other comrades are connecting the anti-pipelines solidarity with the battle against the ‘Raven Coal’. Similarly to the PTP, the proposed ‘Raven Coal Mine’ (on ‘Vancouver Island’) would secure the advancement of other projects in it’s area (ie; opening the floodgates of industrial earth poisoning). We see our resistance to this project as solidarity with the anti pipelines fight and the general battle against ‘Pacific Gateway’, which will have many potential fronts opening over the coming years. We think the PTP is the most urgent concern right now, as they are moving ahead with development at any time.

Our struggles are one. Most of us stand to benefit from the eradication of the richest minority who’s system is rapidly destroying whats left of our collective life support and giving us all cancer. Our individual and collective efforts directed towards stopping Raven Coal, PTP and Pacific Gateway are all part of the much larger revolutionary struggle: For a wild and free world to destroy the world controlled by bosses and patrolled by police.

We are appealing to all of our true comrades to act with us, with the Wet’suwet’en warriors, and others fighting this pipeline. BCBlackout seeks to spread out and promote the attack against the interests of the PTP without delay.